NBA Finals…of farming

Jun 04, 2015

Ohio vs. California

It’s time for the National Basketball Association (NBA) to take center stage and start their championship series tonight after the NHL had Wednesday night’s spotlight.

On the court, the Eastern Conference champion Cleveland Cavaliers will battle the Western Conference champion Golden State Warriors.

The first team to win four games will be presented with the Larry O’Brien trophy as the best team in the NBA.

Similar to the NHL’s Stanley Cup playoffs, analysts and experts have spent their time breaking down plays and coaching schemes to determine who has the advantage going into the series. Can Lebron James lift the Cavaliers to victory by himself? Will Steph Curry’s ability to shoot the 3-pointer be enough to lift Golden State to the championship?

An agricultural comparison is about to take place – between the two states represented in the series: California and Ohio.

?signals advantage for each team

	California	Ohio
NBA Team	Golden State Warriors	Cleveland Cavaliers
Number of farm operations	76,400 ?	74,500
Beef cows (as of Jan. 1, 2015)	600,000 ?	282,000
Milk production (Measured in Lb/Head)	23,785 ?	20,318
Total value of ag products sold	$42,627,472,000 ?	$10,064,085
Top commodity value	Almonds - $6,464,500,000 ?	Soybeans - $2,642,640,000
Average age of principal operator	60.1	56.8 ?
Value of aquaculture sales	$103,016,000 ?	$3,875,000
Total acres operated	25,500,000 ?	14,000,000

Based on the state agriculture comparison, the Golden State Warriors should beat the Cleveland Cavaliers pretty handily, however Ohio does have youth on its side.

Tell us your thoughts about how the two states compare to one another in basketball, or in hockey. Do you have a rooting interest?

Don’t forget to check out the Stanley Cup comparison between Illinois and Florida.

Video: Dr. Emerson Nafziger: Nitrogen Fertilizer Rates for Corn

The Crop Science Podcast Show, Dr. Emerson Nafziger from the University of Illinois breaks down decades of nitrogen research. From the evolution of N rate guidelines to how soil health and hybrid genetics influence nitrogen use efficiency, this conversation unpacks the science behind smarter fertilization. Improving how we set nitrogen fertilizer rates for rainfed corn is a key focus. Discover why the MRTN model matters more than ever, and how shifting mindsets and better data can boost yields and environmental outcomes. Tune in now on all major platforms!

"The nitrogen that comes from soil mineralization is the first nitrogen the plant sees, and its role is underestimated."

Meet the guest:

Dr. Emerson Nafziger is Professor Emeritus of Crop Sciences at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, with degrees in agronomy from Ohio State, Purdue, and Illinois. His research has focused on nitrogen rate strategies and crop productivity. He co-developed the Maximum Return to Nitrogen (MRTN) model, which is widely used across the Midwest. His research spans N response trials, hybrid interactions, crop rotation effects, and yield stability.